Manman Papa Sikjeok-pyeon is based on the Chinese Ming Dynasty folk tale about Yi Zhi Mei (Korean pronunciation: Iljimae), a noble thief with a mysterious past who robs corrupt high-ranking officials and supports the poor. In the game Iljimae is already an established hero who must stop a powerful warlord who made a pact with a dragon. Only music played on a magical flute will bring peace back to the country.
The game’s visual style and perspective in towns is very similar to that of Ultima VII; another resemblance is the usage of key topics during conversations. The bulk of the game, however, has little to do with Ultima and plays like a simple Japanese RPG (in particular Dragon Warrior), with overworld navigation, random enemies, and turn-based combat viewed from a first-person perspective.
